San Diego State University Offers ‘Safe Space’ Racial Healing Circle for Minority Students

Rainmaker Photo/MediaPunch/IPX/APALANA MASTRANGELO12 Mar 2019

San Diego State University will be hosting a “safe space” workshop on “racial healing” for minority students next week aimed at helping “POC navigate racialized spaces” in college and in the workforce.

The workshop, entitled, “Taking Back Our Truths: Healing Circle,” will be held at San Diego State University for “students and faculty of color.” White individuals will presumably not be welcomed, as the event is advertised as a “safe space”

“This intimate one and a half hour Racial Healing Workshop catered to students and faculty of color will be led by well-known professional, Dr. Cheryl E. Matias,” states the event description, “She will provide a safe space for students and faculty of color to discuss issues that impact persons of color in higher academia.”

“Dr. Matias will facilitate group healing and she will provide tools to help POC navigate racialized[sic] spaces such as higher education and professional fields.”

The “racial healing circle” will be hosted at 1:00 p.m. on March 22. Additionally, there will be another race-focused workshop hosted the same day prior to the event, entitled, “Taking Back our Truths: Deconstructing Whiteness in Academia and Embracing Racial Justice and Healing.”

The “deconstructing whiteness” workshop will focus on “whiteness and racial justice in academia,” and is aimed at helping “white identified faculty” with “allyship.”

The term “allyship” refers to non-marginalized people making an effort to show members of marginalized groups that, while they are not marginalized themselves, are allies in the fight against alleged oppression. The term “marginalized” typically refers to any minority group deemed downtrodden in America by left-wing activists.

“The workshop will consist of a one hour research driven lecture on whiteness and racial justice in academia followed by a 20-30 minute Q&A with Dr. Cheryl Matias,” says the event description, “This workshop will raise awareness about the challenges that universities face in attracting, supporting and retaining students and faculty of color.”

“In addition, the research-driven lecture will also provide tools for white identified faculty who work with students of color to help raise consciousness about allyship in academia and professional fields.”